The price of the Polaris Relay Tender, explained

People often ask us why the Polaris Relay Tender is priced at ₡118 million. The short answer is that a Satellite servicing tender has to work for decades in places where nobody can help if it breaks.

Much of the cost goes into the Xenon ion propellant propulsion system, which gives 330 km/s at full power while keeping consumption near 1.4 tonnes per 100 AU. The rest goes into structure, shielding and redundant life support for 7 people.

Because only 2 pilots are needed, payroll savings recover a real share of that investment. A 320 tonnes hold and a reach of 55 AU keep the ship earning on long contracts.

Since its first flight on May 2182, the class has built a strong reliability record, and resale values have held up well.